Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - The Admiral's Wife - full transcript

WHEN IT CAME TO ROMANCE,

INDEPENDENT BARBARA BENTLEY
THOUGHT HER SHIP HAD SAILED

UNTIL SHE MET
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN PERRY.

HE WON THE
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR,

AND HE SPOKE SEVEN LANGUAGES.

IT WAS LIKE BEING IN THE MOVIES.

BUT BARBARA
WOULD QUICKLY DISCOVER

TROUBLED SEAS AHEAD.

HE WAS FULL OF BALONEY.

AND SHE WOULD FIND
HERSELF DROWNING IN DOUBT

AND FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE.



SHE WALKED IN
AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED

A VERY STRONG, STRANGE ODOR.

AND HE'S STARING DOWN AT ME
WITH WILD, WILD EYES...

DEVIL EYES.

WHEN IT COMES
TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS
WHAT THEY SEEM.

AS A SINGLE DIVORCéE

LIVING IN THE SUBURBS
OF SAN FRANCISCO,

BARBARA BENTLEY
WAS TOUGH TO IMPRESS.

I WAS 35 YEARS OLD.

I WAS A STRONG,
INDEPENDENT WOMAN.

I HAD A CAREER.

I OWNED MY OWN HOME.

HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS,
SO LIFE WAS GOOD.



I DON'T THINK SHE WAS,
AT THAT POINT,

VERY EXCITED
ABOUT FINDING A MAN.

I THINK SHE WAS JUST HAPPY
TO BE BARBARA.

BUT ONE NIGHT
IN THE SUMMER OF 1981,

BARBARA DID MEET A MAN,

AND A MOST INTRIGUING MAN
AT THAT.

MY GIRLFRIEND CALLED ME TO COME
AND BE A FOURTH FOR DINNER,

AND THAT NIGHT I MET JOHN PERRY.

HE CAME WALKING IN.

VERY ERECT POSTURE,

AND HIS GLEAMING EYES
AND RUDDY COMPLEXION,

NICELY DRESSED.

IT WAS LIKE,
"HE LOOKS NICE."

54-YEAR-OLD JOHN PERRY

WAS OLDER THAN BARBARA
BY 19 YEARS

AND WORKED AS AN INTERNATIONAL
MILITARY CONSULTANT.

BUT THERE WAS FAR MORE
TO HIS STORY THAN THAT.

HE SAID HE WAS A RETIRED
REAR ADMIRAL FROM THE NAVY,

AND HIS FATHER WAS ADMIRAL PERRY

THAT STARTED THE SEABEES
IN WORLD WAR II.

AND HE HAD STORIES OF HOW HE WON

THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
IN VIETNAM.

IT WAS
A VERY INTERESTING EVENING.

I HAD NEVER MET SOMEBODY
SO FULL OF HISTORY.

I THINK BARBARA WAS IN AWE
OF JOHN WHEN SHE FIRST MET HIM.

EVEN BY BARBARA'S
HIGH STANDARDS,

JOHN SEEMED LIKE QUITE A CATCH.

THE FEELING WAS MUTUAL.

FROM THE MINUTE THAT WE MET,
JOHN WAS VERY ATTENTIVE TO ME.

HE WAS VERY FOCUSED
ON MAKING ME FEEL SPECIAL.

BEFORE LONG,
THE TWO BECAME AN ITEM,

AND JOHN LET BARBARA IN
ON HIS PAST.

JOHN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD
FOUR CHILDREN AND TWO EX-WIVES.

HE SAID THE CHILDREN
WERE ESTRANGED

BECAUSE HIS MILITARY SERVICE

AND HE HAD BEEN GONE
FOR TOO LONG

WHILE THEY WERE BEING RAISED.

AND I FELT SORRY FOR JOHN

BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE
HE WAS VERY HURT ABOUT IT.

THE ADMIRAL
ALSO CONFIDED IN BARBARA

HE WOULD SOON BE
A VERY WEALTHY MAN.

HE SAID HE WAS THE BLACK SHEEP
OF THE FAMILY,

BUT HE'S GOING TO INHERIT
A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY

FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER
WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY.

AND AT THAT MOMENT,
I LOOKED AT HIM, AND I SAID,

"WELL, MONEY
DOESN'T INTEREST ME.

HONESTY DOES."

BARBARA HOPED TO MEET
JOHN'S FAMILY ONE DAY.

IN THE MEANTIME,
THEIR RELATIONSHIP TOOK OFF.

JUST OVER A YEAR AFTER THEY MET,

BARBARA PROUDLY BECAME
MRS. ADMIRAL JOHN PERRY

IN A SMALL CEREMONY
IN TIJUANA, MEXICO.

WE WENT TO
THIS VERY NICE RESTAURANT

THAT JOHN KNEW ABOUT,

AND THE BAND CAME ON.

THEY STARTED PLAYING
"HERE COMES THE BRIDE."

THE WHOLE RESTAURANT
KIND OF JOINED IN,

AND IT WAS VERY JOYOUS.

BARBARA WAS THRILLED
TO BE AN ADMIRAL'S WIFE,

BUT JUST A FEW MONTHS
INTO THEIR MARRIAGE,

HER CREDIT-CARD BILLS
BEGAN TO PILE UP.

JOHN LIKED NICE RESTAURANTS.

HE LIKED NICE CARS,

GOING ON VACATIONS
TO NICE PLACES.

AND WE OFTEN WONDERED, YOU KNOW,

HOW THEY COULD AFFORD
TO DO THIS.

HE WOULD HAVE CONSULTING JOBS.

SOMETIMES
HE WOULD MAKE MONEY ON IT,

AND SOMETIMES HE WOULDN'T.

JOHN WAS SPENDING
A LOT OF MONEY,

AND I KEPT TRYING TO CHANGE HIM,

TRYING TO SHOW HIM
HOW WE COULD BUDGET BETTER.

I WOULD LOOK AT IT AS,

"WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING
WE JUST HAVE TO WORK ON."

WHILE BARBARA TRIED TO
KEEP THEIR SPENDING IN CHECK,

THEY STILL ENJOYED
A V.I.P. LIFESTYLE.

BUT ALMOST 10 YEARS
INTO THEIR MARRIAGE,

EVERYTHING WOULD CHANGE.

BY FEBRUARY OF 1991,

THE COUPLE HAD WEATHERED
THEIR SHARE OF UPS AND DOWNS.

BUT NOTHING
COULD HAVE PREPARED BARBARA

FOR WHAT WOULD COME NEXT.

JOHN WAS OFFERED A JOB
WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN EGYPT,

AND WE WERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
TO GET OUR DOCUMENTATION

SO THAT JOHN COULD CARRY ON
WITH HIS COMMISSION.

AFTER BREAKFAST
ON THEIR SECOND DAY,

BARBARA WENT BACK TO
THEIR HOTEL ROOM TO MEET JOHN.

WHEN I WALKED UP TO THE ROOM,
THE DOOR WAS AJAR,

AND I PUSHED IT OPEN
AND STEPPED INSIDE.

AND I LOOKED OVER
TO THE BATHROOM,

AND I NOTICED A BROWN BOTTLE
SITTING ON THE COUNTER

AND SOME LATEX SURGICAL GLOVES.

IN AN INSTANT,

BARBARA'S LIFE WOULD TAKE
A HORRIFYING TURN.

AT THAT POINT, HE GRABBED ME,

AND I STARTED TO BATTLE
FOR MY LIFE.

IN THE WINTER OF 1986,

FIVE YEARS BEFORE HER MARRIAGE
WOULD GO HORRIBLY WRONG,

BARBARA BENTLEY WAS CONTENT
TO BE THE WIFE

OF ADMIRAL JOHN PERRY.

I FELT THAT
JOHN REALLY LOVED ME.

HE WOULD BRING ME PRESENTS.

HE WOULD COOK.
HE WOULD CLEAN.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE WE HAD
THIS GOOD PARTNERSHIP GOING.

BUT STILL,
SHE WAS TROUBLED BY THE FACT

THAT IN FOUR YEARS OF MARRIAGE,

SHE HAD NEVER MET JOHN'S FAMILY
OR HIS CHILDREN.

BARBARA WANTED SO MUCH
TO MEET JOHN'S FAMILY,

AND JOHN KEPT GIVING BARBARA
EXCUSES LIKE,

"WELL,
THIS PERSON CALLED TODAY,

"BUT YOU WEREN'T HERE,

SO I COULDN'T LET YOU
TALK TO THEM."

I EVEN WROTE LETTERS
TO ALL HIS FAMILY MEMBERS,

AND WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS,
WE GOT ALL OF THEM BACK

WITH "NO SUCH PERSON
AT THIS ADDRESS."

JOHN SAID,

"WELL, THEY'RE JUST
NOT ACCEPTING THOSE."

"THEY SEE WHO IT'S FROM,

"AND THEY THINK
YOU'RE A GOLD DIGGER.

"THEY THINK YOU MARRIED ME

BECAUSE YOU WANT
EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE."

AND BARBARA BELIEVED THIS.

THEN ONE DAY
IN THE SUMMER OF 1987,

JOHN TOLD BARBARA
HE HAD HEARD FROM HIS SON

WHEN HIS WAR MEDALS ARRIVED
IN THE MAIL.

JOHN STARTED TELLING ME
ABOUT EACH ONE...

WHAT IT WAS
AND WHAT HE WON IT FOR...

AND THAT HIS SON
HAD FINALLY DECIDED

TO GO AHEAD
AND SEND HIM THE MEDALS.

I TOLD HIM, "WELL,
WE SHOULD GET THOSE FRAMED

SO WE CAN PUT THEM UP
ON THE WALL."

AND WE DID.

TWO YEARS LATER,
IN JANUARY OF 1989,

JOHN PROUDLY WORE
HIS MEDAL OF HONOR

WHEN HE TOOK BARBARA

TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH'S
INAUGURAL BALL.

PEOPLE WOULD JUST STEP ASIDE
AND LET US WALK THROUGH.

THE FIRST PERSON
TO STOP AND SALUTE US

WAS THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

IT WAS VERY EXCITING.
THE WHOLE DAY WAS VERY EXCITING.

BUT LESS THAN A YEAR LATER,

THE THRILL WAS GONE,
ALONG WITH JOHN'S MEDALS.

IT ALL STARTED
WHEN TWO FBI AGENTS

SHOWED UP AT THEIR FRONT DOOR.

THEY WANTED TO KNOW
IF JOHN WAS HOME,

AND I SAID,
"WELL, NO, HE ISN'T."

AND THEY SAID,
"WELL, WE HAVE SOMETHING HERE.

WOULD YOU GIVE IT TO HIM?"

AND I SAID,
"NO, YOU'LL HAVE TO COME BACK

AND GIVE IT TO HIM LATER."

I HAD BEEN TOLD BY JOHN
NOT TO EVER ACCEPT ANYTHING.

AND I JUST WAS VERY SHOCKED

THAT THE FBI
WOULD BE AT MY DOOR.

SOON AFTER THEY LEFT,

BARBARA NOTICED SOMETHING
STRANGE IN THE LIVING ROOM.

I WAS SITTING IN THERE,
WAITING FOR JOHN TO COME HOME,

AND I NOTICED THAT THE MEDALS
WERE MISSING OFF THE WALL.

WHEN JOHN RETURNED,

BARBARA ASKED HIM
WHAT WAS GOING ON.

HE SAID, "WELL,
THE FRAME WAS FALLING APART,

AND I TOOK IT
TO THE FRAME SHOP."

AND I SAID,
"WELL, ISN'T THAT STRANGE

YOU TOOK YOUR MEDALS WITH IT?"

I WAS MORE WORRIED
ABOUT THE MEDALS

THAN IT SEEMED HE WAS.

THEN, WHEN BARBARA TOLD JOHN

ABOUT THE FBI STOPPING BY,

HE CLAIMED HE HAD TO TESTIFY
AT A FEDERAL CASE FOR WORK.

JOHN SAID "THEY CALLED ME
AT THE LAST MINUTE,

"AND SO THE FBI
MUST HAVE BEEN COMING

TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION."

A FEW MONTHS LATER,

BARBARA BEGAN TO HAVE CONCERNS
OF A DIFFERENT KIND.

JOHN WAS NO LONGER
GOING TO WORK,

WASN'T CALLING ANY
OF HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
HE WAS PLAYING SWEEPSTAKES

AND BUYING THINGS
THROUGH THE MAIL.

I WOULD GET SO FRUSTRATED,

BECAUSE,
"JOHN, WE CAN'T AFFORD THIS."

BY THE BEGINNING OF 1990,

WITH THEIR DEBT STILL MOUNTING,

BARBARA WAS RUNNING OUT
OF PATIENCE.

LUCKILY, JOHN SAID HE WAS
FINALLY GETTING SOME MONEY

FROM HIS TRUST FUND.

BUT FIRST, THEY NEEDED TO VISIT
A BANK IN FLORIDA.

SO, WE WERE GOING TO MEET WITH
THE BANKER TO PICK UP A CHECK.

I WAS DRIVING,
AND ON THE WAY TO THE BANK,

JOHN CLUTCHED HIS CHEST
AND YELLED OUT AND KEELED OVER.

HE SAID, "MY HEART! MY HEART!"

PANICKED,
BARBARA RUSHED HER HUSBAND

TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL.

ONCE JOHN WAS ADMITTED,

SHE CALLED THE BANK
TO CANCEL THEIR APPOINTMENT

AND LEARNED SOMETHING ODD.

THE BANKER
HAD NEVER HEARD OF JOHN,

AND THERE WAS NO APPOINTMENT.

BARBARA WENT BACK TO THEIR HOTEL

TO SEARCH FOR ANY PAPERWORK.

I WAS CHECKING OUT
JOHN'S BRIEFCASE,

AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT TO THINK.

I WAS SO CONFUSED.

THERE WAS NOTHING
ABOUT THEIR APPOINTMENT,

BUT WHAT SHE DID FIND
INSIDE THAT BRIEFCASE

SENT A CHILL DOWN HER SPINE.

I WAS IN A STATE OF CONFUSION.

I FELT VERY FRIGHTENED.

IN JUNE OF 1990,
BARBARA BENTLEY WAS SHOCKED

WHEN SHE UNCOVERED
THE UNTHINKABLE

IN HER HUSBAND'S BRIEFCASE.

I WAS QUESTIONING MYSELF.

I WAS QUESTIONING THE CRAZINESS.

I WAS VERY UNSETTLED.

WHY WOULD A RETIRED
NAVAL OFFICER NEED A WEAPON?

WHEN SHE RETURNED TO THE
HOSPITAL LATER THAT AFTERNOON,

BARBARA LEARNED THAT INDEED JOHN
HAD SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK,

BUT WAS RECOVERING WELL.

WHEN I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL ROOM,
I CHALLENGED HIM ON THIS GUN.

I SAID, "WELL, WHAT DID
YOU NEED A GUN FOR?"

HE SAID, "WELL, WE WERE
PICKING UP THIS MONEY."

AND I SAID,
"BUT IT WOULD BE A CHECK...

PROBABLY A CASHIER'S CHECK."

THEN BARBARA MENTIONED

THAT THE BANK HAD NO APPOINTMENT
FOR THEM.

OF COURSE, HE HAD AN EXCUSE

OF WHY THE GUY MAYBE
DIDN'T REMEMBER HIM OR WHATEVER.

THEN I REALIZED,
"WELL, HERE'S THIS MAN

"LAYING IN THIS HOSPITAL BED,

"JUST HAVING SUFFERED
A HEART ATTACK.

I BETTER BACK OFF."

SO I DID.

A WEEK LATER,

THE COUPLE RETURNED HOME
TO CALIFORNIA

WITHOUT EVER VISITING THE BANK.

AND BARBARA COULDN'T SHAKE
THE NAGGING FEELING

THAT SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG.

BUT BEFORE BARBARA

COULD QUESTION HIM
ABOUT THE FAMILY MONEY,

JOHN HAD SOME GOOD NEWS
ABOUT A CONSULTING GIG IN EGYPT.

IT WAS GOING TO PAY ENOUGH MONEY
TO COVER ALL OF OUR BILLS.

THEN HE SAID
THAT THE REAL GOOD NEWS

WAS I COULD GO WITH HIM
FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS,

THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY
MY WAY TO DO THAT.

AND I WAS... I WAS EXCITED,

'CAUSE I'D ALWAYS WANTED
TO SEE EGYPT.

I DIDN'T GIVE IT
MUCH CREDENCE AT ALL

BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE,
"HERE'S ANOTHER JOHN STORY."

I THINK AT THIS POINT,
BOTH GEORGE AND I

PROBABLY HAD KIND OF
HAD ENOUGH OF JOHN.

SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS
A SLIGHT SNAG IN THE PLAN.

IT WAS GETTING CLOSER
TO TIME FOR DEPARTURE,

AND WE STILL DIDN'T HAVE
OUR SPECIAL DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS

THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET
FROM THE LEADER OF THIS TEAM,

SO JOHN SAID THAT THERE WAS SOME
KIND OF POLITICS GOING ON,

AND WE BETTER FLY TO SEE
THE ADMIRAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

ONCE IN D.C., THE
ADMIRAL WAS HARD TO TRACK DOWN.

WE GO OFF TO ANNAPOLIS,
AND THERE'S NO ADMIRAL.

AND HE SAID, "THE ADMIRAL

IS OVER AT SUCH AND SUCH BASE
IN MARYLAND."

SO WE RUSHED OVER THERE,
AND THERE'S NO ADMIRAL THERE.

AND THIS WENT ON AND ON.

PUSHED TO HER LIMIT,

BARBARA THREATENED TO LEAVE JOHN
IN D.C.

I TOLD JOHN THAT
IF WE DIDN'T SEE THE ADMIRAL,

THEN I WAS GONNA GO HOME.

I HAD HAD IT.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING,

BARBARA STAYED BEHIND
TO PAY FOR BREAKFAST,

THEN WENT UP TO THE HOTEL ROOM
TO MEET JOHN.

I LOOKED OVER TO THE BATHROOM,

AND I NOTICED A BROWN BOTTLE
SITTING ON THE COUNTER

AND SOME LATEX SURGICAL GLOVES.

AND I SAID, "JOHN, WHAT ARE
YOU DOING WITH THESE?"

JOHN TOLD BARBARA THAT
HIS DOCTOR PRESCRIBED HIM ETHER.

AT THAT POINT, HE GRABBED ME,

PUT AN ETHER-SOAKED WASH RAG
OVER MY FACE,

AND I STARTED
THE BATTLE FOR MY LIFE.

AS BARBARA STRUGGLED
TO FREE HERSELF,

JOHN TRIED TO SMOTHER
THE LIFE OUT OF HER.

AND I'M NOT SCREAMING BECAUSE I
KNOW I CAN'T BREATHE THIS ETHER.

AND I BROKE AWAY ENOUGH TO GET
TO THE DOOR AND OPEN IT UP.

BUT JOHN WASN'T ABOUT
TO LET BARBARA ESCAPE.

HE GRABBED ME BACK
AND PULLED ME BACK IN,

AND HE PUSHED ME TO THE FLOOR

AND STARTED POURING THE ETHER
ON MY FACE.

BARBARA KNEW SHE HAD
TO GET OUT OF THERE IMMEDIATELY

IF SHE WAS GOING TO
GET OUT ALIVE.

HE RAN OUT OF THE ETHER,

AND HE'S STARING DOWN AT ME

WITH WILD, WILD EYES...
DEVIL EYES.

I LOOKED UP AT HIM, AND I SAID,

"JOHN, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM,
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS."

AND IT SNAPPED HIM
OUT OF THE TRANCE.

EERILY CALM, JOHN MADE
A SHOCKING REVELATION.

HE SAID, "I JUST FOUND OUT
I HAVE TERMINAL CANCER,

"AND I WANTED TO PUT YOU UNDER

SO I COULD GO JUMP OFF THE
KEY BRIDGE AND COMMIT SUICIDE."

I SAT DOWN NEXT TO HIM,
AND I TOOK HIS ARM,

AND I JUST STARTED RUBBING IT.

WITHIN MINUTES,
JOHN SEEMED TO BE ASLEEP,

AND BARBARA KNEW
IT WAS NOW OR NEVER.

SHE WAS GOING TO SOON UNCOVER

THE LIES AND THE DECEPTIONS,

AND HE WAS GONNA GET RID OF HER.

I DECIDED
THAT I NEEDED TO LEAVE THE ROOM,

OR I WOULDN'T LEAVE IT ALIVE.

ON THE MORNING
OF FEBRUARY 15, 1991,

BARBARA BENTLEY KNEW HER LIFE

WAS IN DANGER
AT THE HANDS OF HER HUSBAND.

I GOT TO THE DOOR,
OPENED IT UP VERY QUIETLY,

AND CLOSED IT VERY QUIETLY.

I WENT AS FAST AS I COULD
TO THE MAIN DESK

AND TOLD THEM
TO CALL THE POLICE,

MY HUSBAND HAD JUST TRIED
TO MURDER ME WITH ETHER.

OFFICERS ARRIVED WITHIN MINUTES

AND ARRESTED JOHN PERRY
AS HE TRIED TO ESCAPE.

I WAS JUST REALLY JUST DAZED

AND JUST KIND OF NOT IN REALITY
OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

ARLINGTON COUNTY,
VIRGINIA, PROSECUTOR THEO STAMOS

WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CASE.

BARBARA WAS TRAUMATIZED.

HER SENSE WAS THAT, "OKAY,
THERE'S A HUGE DISCONNECT HERE

"WITH, YOU KNOW,
WHO I THOUGHT HE WAS

"AND WHAT JUST HAPPENED
TO ME IN THAT HOTEL ROOM,

AND WHY DID THAT HAPPEN?"

A FEW DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK,

BARBARA RETURNED HOME
TO CALIFORNIA ALONE.

SHE WAS
DETERMINED TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH

ABOUT HER HUSBAND
OF ALMOST 10 YEARS.

SHE CALLED AN ADMIRAL WHO JOHN
HAD WORKED WITH IN THE PAST.

AND THAT'S WHEN HE TOLD ME,

"WELL, DON'T YOU KNOW
ABOUT THE FBI INVESTIGATION?"

JOHN HAD BEEN INVESTIGATED
FOR IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER.

THE FBI HAD
CONFISCATED JOHN'S MEDALS,

AND BARBARA WAS STUNNED
TO FIND OUT WHY.

HER HUSBAND,
THE CELEBRATED ADMIRAL,

WASN'T AN ADMIRAL AT ALL.

IN FACT, HE HAD BEEN DISCHARGED
FROM THE NAVY

SOME 40 YEARS EARLIER,

AND NO ONE KNEW WHERE
HE ACQUIRED HIS MANY WAR MEDALS.

WHEN THE FBI AGENT

CONFIRMED THAT JOHN WAS NOT
A RETIRED REAR ADMIRAL,

IT WAS LIKE, "MY GOSH,
HE'S NOT WHO HE SAID HE WAS."

AND THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

JOHN HAD A CRIMINAL RECORD
FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS

THAT HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
FOR GRAND THEFT

AND FOR IMPERSONATING OFFICERS
AND CHECK FRAUD

AND JUST A WHOLE LAUNDRY LIST
OF ACTIVITIES.

EVEN JOHN'S WEALTHY
GRANDMOTHER AND FOUR CHILDREN

WERE FICTIONAL.

BUT HE WAS HONEST
ABOUT ONE THING.

HE WAS INDEED THE SON

OF ADMIRAL PERRY OF THE SEABEES
IN WORLD WAR II,

AND HE WAS THE BLACK SHEEP
OF THE FAMILY.

WE EVENTUALLY LEARNED

THAT JOHN HAD
MOUNTING FINANCIAL PRESSURES,

AND HE HAD A LIFE
THAT HE HAD CONSTRUCTED

THAT WAS REALLY
ABOUT TO FALL APART

BECAUSE SORT OF THE JIG WAS UP.

IT WAS LIKE UNREAL

THAT THIS COULD BE A PERSON
WHO SAID HE LOVED ME,

AND SO I FELT BETRAYED.

IN JUNE 1991,
JOHN PERRY WENT TO TRIAL

AND PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO
ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

THE OPENING STATEMENT
BY DEFENSE COUNSEL

BASICALLY WAS THAT HE WAS TRYING
TO SAVE HIS WIFE

THE GRIEF OF WATCHING HIM DIE
A SLOW DEATH.

THE DETECTIVE AND I
MET WITH HIS DOCTOR.

HE SAID, "NO,
THE GUY DIDN'T HAVE CANCER."

AFTER ONLY TWO DAYS,

THE JURY FOUND JOHN PERRY
GUILTY.

HE WAS SENTENCED
TO FIVE YEARS BEHIND BARS.

ONE OF THE THINGS
THE HOMICIDE DETECTIVE

FOUND OUT FOR ME WAS THE
LOCATION OF JOHN'S STEPMOTHER,

AND I GOT IN CONTACT
WITH HER, AND I MET WITH HER.

SHE SAID
HE HAD JOINED THE SERVICE,

AND HE HAD COME OUT OF BOOT CAMP

AND WAS WITH A FRIEND
IN A HOTEL,

DOVE INTO A POOL,
HIT HIS HEAD,

AND HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS,

AND AFTER THAT,
HE HAD A MEDICAL DISCHARGE.

SHE SAID HE WAS NEVER THE SAME.

HE STARTED GETTING INTO TROUBLE
AFTER THAT.

BARBARA'S ORDEAL
WITH JOHN WASN'T OVER JUST YET.

AFTER SERVING ONLY 14 MONTHS,
HE WAS RELEASED ON PROBATION.

MY ATTORNEY TOLD ME

I WAS GONNA HAVE TO PAY JOHN
ALIMONY.

I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE HIM
HALF MY RETIREMENT FUND,

AND I HAD TO PAY CAR
AND MEDICAL INSURANCE ON HIM,

AND THAT WAS WHEN I DECIDED

THAT THE LAW
NEEDED TO BE CHANGED,

THAT IT WAS NOT RIGHT THAT
SOMEBODY COULD TRY TO MURDER YOU

AND THEN STILL PROFIT BY IT.

ON JANUARY 1, 1996,

BARBARA SUCCEEDED
IN CHANGING THE LAW,

AND HER PAYMENTS TO JOHN ENDED.

I APPLAUDED HER.

SHE WENT THROUGH A DIFFICULT
SITUATION... VERY DIFFICULT...

AND SHE LEARNED A LOT, I THINK,
ABOUT HERSELF.

AND I THINK MOSTLY SHE LEARNED
HOW TOUGH SHE IS.

BARBARA STILL LIVES
IN CALIFORNIA,

AND TODAY
SHE IS HAPPILY REMARRIED.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN
MARRIED NOW 13 YEARS TO REX.

HE'S BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE

OF EVERYTHING
THAT I'VE WANTED TO DO.

I DIDN'T HAVE TROUBLE
TRUSTING AGAIN.

IT WAS TRULY TRUSTING MYSELF

MORE THAN TRUSTING ANOTHER
PERSON... TRUSTING MY JUDGMENT.

I WONDERED,
"WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?"

BARBARA HAS SINCE WRITTEN A BOOK

ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE.

I DECIDED
THAT I WOULD WRITE A BOOK

TO HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND

THERE IS LIGHT
AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

IT'S... SOMETIMES IT TAKES
A LOT OF HARD WORK TO GET THERE,

BUT IT'S WORTH IT.